Grain-drier.



P. PRYOVOST.

GRAIN DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED Me. 29. ms.

1,251,573. Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

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wow 6 35 PETER PROVOS'I', OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

GRAIN-DRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

Application filed December 29, 1916. Serial No. 139,517.

' To all whom it may concern:

new and useful Improvements in Grain- Driers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in grain cleaning and drying apparatus.

It is in general the object of the present invention to simplify and otherwise improve the structure and to increase the efficiency of apparatus of this character, and it is more specifically an important object of the inven tion to provide an arrangement wherein a current of air is passed through a falling column of grain transversely thereof throughout substantially its entire length to procure a maximum drying action in contradistinction to those types of drying apparatus wherein the'current of air passes longitudinally through the column of falling grain.

A further important object resides in the provision of a drying apparatus wherein a suflicient agitation and distribution of grain in the apparatus is procured without the necessity of providing movable agitating means.

A still further object resides in the provision of a means for initially heating the grain prior to its introduction into the main air draft drum, whereby the moisture of the grain may be more readily removed, and in connection with this initial heating means it is further an object to utilize said means as an agitator to loosen crease-dirt of the grain.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention resides more particularly in the novel combination, formation and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a grain drying and cleaning apparatus constructed in accordance wlth my present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the lower portion of the main drum on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the upper portion thereof on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referrin now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the initial heating means for the grain comprises a funnel shaped casing 5 open at its top and having secured as its bottom a spider shaped bearmg 6 in which is journaled the lower end of a shaft 7 which has its upper end journaled in a bearing 8 preferably secured to the ceiling or other desired support. The shaft 7 is driven through the medium of a pulley 9 on its upper end. Mounted on the intermediate portion of the shaft within the casing is a horizontally disposed circular heating plate 10 having its peripheral edgedownwardly directed and carried by verticall adjustable arms 11 extending inward y from the walls of the casing 5 is a funnel shaped hopper 12, the lower portion of which is spaced slightly'above the plate and carries a screen sheet 13. Spirally coiled under the plate 10 is a heating pipe line 14, the ends of which extend downwardly at the center of the casing 5 and are laterally directed at the bottom thereof.

A suitable grain supplying chute 15 is disposed above the hopper 12 and thus grain passes therefrom through the hopper on to the plate 10 and by centrifugal force is moved outwardly to the edge of the plate, from whence it drops through the bottom casing. The screen sheet 13 serves to prevent undesired movement of the grain on the plate and also by its engagement with the grain serves to agitate same and loosen dirt which is contained in creases of the kernels of rain.

isposed under the outlet mouth of the funnel shaped casing 5 is a vertical elongated casing 16 which is supported at its lower end on the upwardly inclined top plate 17 of a base casing 18 and in the top of the vertical casing or housing 16 is disposed a funnel shaped plate 19 to which is secured the upper end of a foraminous cylinder 20 which has its lower end secured to the plate 17. Disposed within the cylinder 20 is a smaller cylinder, 21 secured at its upper end by brackets 22 connected with the cylinder 20 and at its lower end by attachment to a conical plate 23 fastened also to f a plate 17. Thus between the cylinders 20 and 21 an ann lar chamber is formed and this chamber communicates with the openings of the funnel plate 19 to receive grain from the casing 5. The top of the cylinder 21 is closed by a conical cap 24 and disposed thereabove the funnel plate 19 is a deflector cone 25. The plate 23 is provided adjacent its periphery with a series of openings 26 and thus grain may pass from the annular chamber therethrough and into a funnel shaped hopper 27 therebelow which terminates in a discharge neck with which is associated a preferably conical valve head 29 controlled by a rod 30 extending through the top wall 17 of the .bottom casing, and through an car 31 on the housing 16 and having a thumb nut 32 threaded on its upper end and abutting the sleeve 31 whereby the position of the valve may be controlled. A deflector cone 33 is preferably disposed in the hopper 27 to properly guide the grain with respect to the valve.

Disposed within the annular chamber formed by the foraminous cylinders, and alternately secured to said cylinders are inwardly and downwardly inclined foraminous baffie flanges 34, the free edges of these flanges being disposed in lapped relation whereby to procure a tortuous passage of grain through the chamber. Extending through the casing 18 and the hopper is a heated air supply pipe 35 having its inner end upwardly directed to communicate with and close the bottom of the inner cylinder 21 and extending from the upper portion of the outer casing or housing 16 are a pair of discharge pipes 36 preferably connected for discharge of heated air and dirt at a desired remote point.

Thus, in operation the grain is supplied through the chute 15 to the hopper l1 and from thence onto the plate 12 on which it travels outwardly by centrifugal force and during which travel is initially heated and is agitated to loosen dirt therefrom, particularly the dirt which collects in the creases of the kernels. F romthe periphery of the plate the grain drops through the casing 5 and into the annular chamber formed by the cylinders 20 and 21. During its passage through this chamber the grain is agitated by the baffle flanges 34 and is subjected to a flow of heatedair transversely of the chamber, by reason of the foraminous nature of the cylinders and the introduction of heated air into the inner cylinder, which is closed at its top. Thus a maximum drying action is procured, and the grain passes through plate 23 into the hopper 27 in a thoroughly dry condition. The valve 29 controls the flow of grain through the annular chamber, to compensate for different degrees of moisture in the grain. To prevent the admission of cold air into the annular chamber through the openings 26 of the plate 23, such openings are relatively small and to prevent accumulation of grain on the plate 26 deflectemma ing members 37 of inverted V shape in cross sections are disposed thereon between the openings.

The lower portion of the space between I the outer cylinder 20 and the casing 16 forms an annular pocket in which may collect dirt or other foreign material carried outwardly of the annular chamber by the air current, and of, such weight as to prevent its being conveyed through the pipe 36. Access, to this chamber for cleaning thereof, is had through a door 38 in the lower portion of the casing 16.

What is claimed:

1. A grain drier including a casing, baflie means in the casing means for procuring a flow of heated air in the casing, a horizontal rotative plate above the casing, means for supplying grain to the central portion of the plate, and means for directing rain from the peripheral portion of the p ate to the casing.

2. A grain drier including a casing, baflie means in the casing, means for procuring a flow of heated air in the casing, a horizontal rotatory plate disposed above the casing, a stationary heating means under the plate, means for supplying grain to the central portion of the plate, a funnel shaped casing disposed about said plate and heating means adapted to direct grain from the peripheral portion of the plate to the casing.

3. A grain drier including a casing bafiie means in the casing, means for procuring a flow of heated air through the casing, a shaft extending upwardly from the casing, a rotatory horizontal plate carried by the shaft a funnel shaped hopper carried by the shaft and spaced above the plate, means for supplying grain to the hopper and means for directing grain from the peripheral portion of the plate to the casing.

4. A grain drier comprising a casing, bafie means in the casing, means for'procuring a flow of heated air through the casing, a shaft extending upwardly from the casing, a rotatory horizontal plate carried by the shaft, a funnel shaped hopper carried by the shaft and spaced above the plate, means for supplying grain to the hopper, a foraminous sheet carried by the hopper and disposed in spaced relation above the plate and means for directing grain from the peripheral portion of the plate to the casing. 1

5. A grain drier including inner and outer foraminous casings forming an annular chamber, foraminous bafiie plates in said chamber, and means for supplying a current of heated air transversely through said chamber.

6. A grain drier including inner and outer cylindrical foraminous casings forming an annular chamber, a closure for the top of the inner casing, baflle means disposed in the annular chamber and means for supplying a current of heated air to the lower portion of the inner casing.

7. A grain drier including inner and outer foraminous casings defining an annular chamber, alternately disposed frustoconical foraminous baffle plates carried by the outer periphery of the inner casing and the inner periphery of the outer casing, a closure for the top of the inner caslng and means for supplying a current of heated air to the lower portion of the inner casing.

8. A grain drier including an outer ca sing, a foraminous casing disposed therein in spaced relation thereto, a second forammous casing disposed Within the first foraminous casing a closure for the top of said second foraminous casing, a closure for the space between the outer casing and first foraminous casing, baffle means between the foramious casings means for supplying a current of heated air to the lower portion of the inner foraminous casing and outlet ports in the upper portion of the outer foraminous casing.

9. A grain drier including an outer casing a foraminous caslng disposed therein in spaced relation thereto, a second fora'minous casing disposed therewithm, a closure for the top of the second foraminous bafile.

means between said casings, means for introducmg a current of heated air 1n the lower portion of the second forammous casing, a grain receiving chamber below the,

Wisconsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

PETER PROVOST. Witnesses:

FRANK S. RATCLIFFE,

M. E. Downer. 

